Bali baby!

Ok, I can cross it off my bucket list but I definitely have to go again. Bali is one of those places you imagine going to in your dreams and having the time of your life. Well I finally made it a reality and I had the time of my life, and you should too. Bali is pretty affordable, so you don’t have to break the bank to take that dream trip, and you will still have a great time.

I traveled with a girlfriend of mine and we planned to see all the major attractions like the swing, Heaven’s Gate, the rice fields, and of course the holy water temple, amongst other things.  One thing that I always consider when traveling is getting as much bang for my buck as possible. The flight is sometimes the most expensive part of the trip so why not see more than one place or if anything get a taste of another place by taking a flight with a longer layover- that is if you can spare the time.  We tried to grab a layover in Beijing, China so that we could see The Great Wall, but sadly the flights with that layover were costly. We settled for a stop in Taipei and had an awesome time during our 21- hour layover exploring the city. For more about a taste of Taipei click here.

Alright, the flight to Bali was the longest flight I ever took in my life. It was 20 hours long total, but with the layover it was broken into 15 hours and then another 5 hours from Taipei. I didn’t know if I would make it through the first leg (15 hours) so I brought a Benadryl to take so I could sleep just in case.  The thought of being in a confined space in the air for so long made me feel nervous and bothered so that is the first thing to get over if you want to go to Bali. Surprisingly, once on the plane the excitement takes over and you are just so happy that you are heading to such a beautiful place that you suck it up and relax. I booked an overnight flight, which worked to my advantage; also I did not sleep the night prior to the day of departure (that was not by choice, but it did help- last minute packing) and that worked perfectly to help me sleep away several hours. The flight was with EVA air and I have to say I had a great experience with them.

Once you finally get out of the airport in Bali you can really get an appreciation of the architecture, although you do get a small taste at the airport. The statues and homes are beautiful. Bali is such a busy city and full of tourists as one can imagine, the traffic can be quite intense because there are so many motor scooters. I had no interest in renting a scooter and I hear you need an international license but I don’t know how accurate it is because so many tourists were riding. So, housing- we stayed at two airbnb’s and a hotel, but we also visited two other hotels to purchase some of their exclusive services. I would say I loved the combination of the airbnb and hotel stays because they were both different and necessary, for example the airbnb’s were more private and intimate with your own private pool and villa where as the hotel had a beautiful resort and complimentary breakfast to die for. If you go to Bali experience both. Plus you get some amazing shots with different backdrops. I also opted for airbnbs that offered shuttle transportation, and room service- that’s definitely a big plus.

One of the places I stayed in Ubud Bali was at the Plataran Ubud hotel and spa. It is in the perfect location, you can walk around and explore on foot or you can just hide on the resort and relax. The breakfast is so delicious, and the tea is even better. They have teatime at 4pm with desserts and that is not to be missed, it doesn’t matter if you’re tired sleep after, ok. 

The attractions are worth it. I am sorry but if you have been to Bali and not tried the swing you should definitely scream and take the push- ha-ha pun definitely intended. Now, I am afraid of heights but my goal for the swing was a bomb picture. It wasn’t until I reached the sight that I began to think, “Can I really do this?” Well I did, and I knew I was going to scream but I did it, and I had such a freeing experience. Once you just say, “To hell with the fear, I didn’t come all the way down here to give up now” it is such an amazing feeling. You view yourself differently as a person; I know I do.

Take a rinse under a waterfall; Bali has several. The water feels amazing especially after a long hot day. In October the season is usually rainy/ wet up until April but it did not rain during our trip so we were very glad but keep that in mind.

The Holy Water Temple (Tirta Empul temple) was absolutely unforgettable.  The Hindu religion bathes in holy water to cleanse their souls and ward off evil. You basically are purified after bathing in this water, however it is more than that. It is an experience of just letting go of whatever you do not have the power to on your own. For some reason, when you enter this water the heavy burden feelings of life washes off of you and you feel so light by the time you leave. I had a spiritual experience there and if there were only one thing I could do in Bali, coming to this holy water temple would be it. Definitely have to give this a try and really think about all the things you want removed from your life. A lot of times we focus on what we want in our life, here is a chance to think about and remove what you don’t want. In doing so you make room for the good things, for the things that will serve your life. There are a bit of rules but the most important thing to note in my opinion is women who are menstruating are not allowed into the water. You can do more research about this, but this is something to strongly consider when booking your trip if this is a place you would like to visit during your stay.

Ok, Heaven’s Gate! Another tourist picture favorite, but it is more than just that. Keep in mind it may take two hours from Ubud, an area in Bali. I would advise leaving very early in the morning due to traffic of cars and people. Make sure your shoulders are covered and you have a sarong otherwise you have to rent one from them, which isn’t bad. There is a long line usually, and you choose a number and wait for it to be called. When it is called you give them your phone and they take several pictures while allowing for about 4 poses. The best time to get there is at sunrise. It is beautiful, the view, the air, the peacefulness. It something to really experience and appreciate, and I understand why so many people go to view it.

Some of the local things that we did was visit a family to learn about their traditions and culture. I had the opportunity to plant rice, and it was an outstanding to be a part of something bigger than myself. We went to the beach and took a surfing class, something I thought that I would never try. We also took a Balinese cooking class. Which brings me to the food- lets get into the food in Bali; there is something for everyone. The food is very flavorful, and fresh.  If you go to Bali you have to eat at Warung Dewa Malen, the food was so tasty. The service is amazing, people bow and smile and I like that but not just in the restaurants though. The culture is so rich and respectful; it makes you want to be a part of something so deep as well. The Balinese have a sense of duty to themselves and their family and also their community, something that has been lost in the states.

Another experience that I had to try in Bali was a flower bath. We went to Kaveri Spa at the Udaya resort and Spa. It was a great experience and the service was wonderful, the resort was lovely as well.  One thing that I have to share is that there were some ants on the flowers, the only reason I noticed it was because I am afraid of most insects. I still enjoyed the bath, but just something to note. I don’t know about you, but when I’m on vacation I feel like royalty. When I say royalty I don’t mean in regard to money or status, I mean that my spirit feels at peace, like my movement in the world feeds it and so I am instantly lifted. I want to experience it all, see the people, learn from them and take that experience with me because it is a gift. Bali will have you feeling like that. So many positive changes happened in my life after Bali. The final thing we did before our flight home was have a boat picnic, just me and my girlfriend. We ventured to the Kamandula resort for their picnic lunch. It was so peaceful, and calming. The resort was gorgeous and I would love to spend a few nights there on my next visit. It was the perfect ending to our Bali trip.

It was hard leaving Bali, because it was a life changing experience. I felt like being there strengthened my spirit, and not many trips do that for me, they usually open my mind and eyes but this one did something on a deeper level for me. Once you’re back in the states adjusting to the time change can be a little difficult. In Bali they are 12 hours ahead if you are EST. I slept for about one week, no exaggeration, I only woke up to use the bathroom and I had no appetite. I ate possibly once a day. I lost a noticeable amount of weight and I am not big to begin with. I felt very weak as well but I did not feel sick so that was a blessing. After my body adjusted I was fine. I longed for Balinese food so much that I looked up a restaurant to try but I was discouraged because I knew it just wouldn’t taste the same but I plan to try it one day and I will keep you posted!

Go to Bali! You wont regret it.  I tried to keep this short. If you’ve been to Bali, what have your experiences been like, and would you go again? Feel free to ask questions as well. Thanks for reading!